1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to fabric softeners and more specifically to a dispenser for fitting within the drying chamber of a clothes dryer to dispense fabric softener as clothes are dried.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
One prior art method of applying a fabric softener to clothes is to add a liquid or powder type fabric softener to the clothes during a washing cycle in a washing machine. Another prior art method of applying a fabric softener to clothes is to add a piece of fabric softener impregnated fabric into the drying chamber of a clothes dryer as the clothes are being dried.
A preliminary patentability search in class 248, subclasses 205.1, 206.5 and class 206, subclass 77.1 produced the following patents: Belokin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,462; Anastos, U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,715; Kleinhans, U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,737; Taylor, U.S. Pat. No. 3,713,614; and Evans, U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,888. The above patents disclose various containers, attachments, and the like for being attached to the side of a dryer, a refrigerator door, etc., and may, therefore, relate in general to the structure of the present invention.
None of the known prior art discloses or suggests the present invention. More specifically, nothing in the known prior art discloses or suggests a fabric softener dispenser including housing means for holding a solid fabric softener cartridge, the housing means having a cavity for receiving the second end of the solid fabric softener cartridge; and attachment means for attaching the housing means to a clothes dryer with the first end of the solid fabric softener cartridge extending into the drying chamber of the clothes dryer for contacting the clothes as the clothes are dried.